8o6 



NATURE 



[August 25, 1921 



this secret, and the rest is simple." Of some 

 interest are the .instances given of apparent mis- 

 takes in building the wonderful nest, such as leav- 

 ing no doorway. 



The third companion was a flying squirrel 

 (Pteromys), which moved along the ground in a 

 succession of jumps, "rather a lumbering gallop," 

 soon bringing fatigue. "The leap of the flying 

 squirrel is said to be sixty to eighty yards, but 

 I can safely say it is well over double that distance 

 at times, as I have seen one go right across a 

 valley nearer two hundred yards in extent." "On 

 approaching the tree it means to settle on, the 

 head is raised and the tail lowered so that the 

 parachute then acts against the wind as a brake, 

 bringing it slowly against the tree. The tail, to 

 some extent, acts as a rudder, bi^t-th^ change of 

 direction is really made by a ^slight drawing; in 

 of the extended limbs, on the opposite side 1 to 

 that to which the animal wishes to turn." }Ar. 

 Donald seems to have been happy with his vai\ied 

 companions, and they seem to havebeen happy 

 with him. He tells us of his golden eagle {joot, 

 however, to be called Chrysaetus, which spoils the 

 name), of an Isabelline bear, a bull-terrier, a rock- 

 python which could^iifr three chairs with its tail, 

 and was happy on six crows every Sunday ; of 

 hawks and langurs ; and more besides. He ends 

 with a fascinating sketch of a fox, which suggests 

 that the secret of domestication has not been lost. 

 This is an enjoyable book, racy, objective, and 

 shrewd, and it has excellent photographic illus- 

 trations. We like well enough some of Mr. 

 Donald's pet names for his companions, such as 

 Bhaloo for the bear, and Satan for the python ; 

 but Juggins for the golden eagle touches us on 

 the raw. 



Our Bookshelf. 



Insect Life. By C. A. Ealand. Pp. xii-f340-t- 

 Ixxiv plates. (London: A. and C. Black, Ltd., 

 192 1.) 30s. net. 



In this sumptuous and profusely illustrated volume 

 Mr. Ealand attempts "to provide a text-book of 

 entomology, useful alike to the serious student and 

 to thie reader who takes up the subject as a 

 hobby." To us he appears to have fallen between 

 two stools. The opening chapter on classification 

 raised our suspicions when we encountered more 

 than five pages of tabular classification of no pos- 

 sible value to the "serious student," for no hint 

 is given of the basis employed, while to the reader 

 with entomology as a hobby it is positively soul- 

 destroying to be faced with a prodigious list of 

 mere names. The second chapter, on social habits, 

 colouring of insects, and economic questions, is 

 more readable, provided one already possesses 



NO. 2704, VOL. 107] 



a considerable knowledge of insect orders and 

 suborders. From chap. iii. onwards, however, the 

 accounts of the several orders, etc., are of no 

 value to the specialist, and of but little interest to 

 the amateur. Nowhere do we find either an 

 account or an illustration of the essential structure 

 of an insect, or even of the mouth appendages ; 

 true, the serious student should know the main 

 facts about these ; but where will he be if his 

 serious study should by misfortune begin with 

 "Insect Life"? 



Many of the illustrations are beautifully 

 coloured and do immense credit to the publishers ; 

 but the object of the author seems to have been 

 to arrange a striking plate rather than to display 

 the structural features of the insects. Thus in 

 the coloured plates of the Coleoptera many bril- 

 liant and beautifully coloured species are shown, 

 but the majority have their legs tucked away out 

 of sight beneath the body, so that the tarsal 

 joints are entirely invisible, and in some cases 

 the antennae are in the same plight.' The figures 

 (copied from Shipley's "Zoology of the Inverte- 

 brata ") showing the emergence of the dragon- 

 fly imago from the nymph are peculiarly unfor- 

 tunately arranged, for, as in the original, instead 

 of being placed vertically, the drawings have 

 been turned round into a horizontal position, 

 with the result that the dragonfly is shown emerg- 

 ing in a position that is absolutely impossible and 

 absurd. It is unfortunate that so showy a book 

 contains so little of real value. 



A History of Psychology. By Prof. G. S. Brett. 

 (Library of Philosophy.) Vol. ii., Mediaeval and 

 Early Modern Period. Pp. 394. Vol. iii.. 

 Modern Psychology. Pp. 322. (London : 

 George Allen and Unwin, Ltd. ; New York : 

 The Macmillan Co., 1921.) 165. net each. 

 The first volume of this work was published in 

 191 2. Starting with an account of primitive 

 animistic notions, it carried the history through 

 the periods of Greek philosophy and Greek Chris- 

 tian philosophy to St. Augustine. The two volumes 

 now added deal, one with the medieval and 

 early modern period to .the end of the seventeenth 

 century, the other with the modern period, ending 

 with a final chapter on ' ' The Scope of Modern 

 Psychology." It is difficult to appreciate the 

 purpose or the usefulness of a work of this kind, 

 however much we may admire the devotion and 

 research which have produced it. As an encyclo- 

 paedia it is of little value, for the simple reason 

 that one human author cannot be encyclopaedic. 

 He cannot be a first authority in regard to all 

 the writers with whom he deals. Also it is mis- 

 leading to describe animistic speculations or even 

 philosophy of mind as parts of the science of 

 psychology. As a matter of fact, the modern 

 science of psychology has little or nothing in 

 common with the theories here recorded, and owes 

 nothing to them. 



A more serious criticism, however, is a nega- 

 tive one. Information we naturally expected to 



